Original poster was asking for some pointers about technique for helping control in choppy conditions. This is the BS he got !!! (Perhaps Jasper; Screamer and Waiting for wind (dude) do this all time ??

Probably the exact opposite of what he shoud have been told !
ie) For more control a) More DH
b) Smaller fin. (smallest you can infact use and still go upwind)
c) Commit to harness and stay there keeping rig loaded;mast track weighted and nose down.(The fin will NOT keep nose down; you do !!!)
d) Relax
e) Enjoy it. If you cant get your wave board out ! (Or your freeride)

Original poster was asking for some pointers about technique for helping control in choppy conditions. This is the BS he got !!! (Perhaps Jasper; Screamer and Waiting for wind (dude) do this all time ??

Probably the exact opposite of what he shoud have been told !
ie) For more control a) More DH
b) Smaller fin. (smallest you can infact use and still go upwind)

Depends on how deep your are reaching (downwind slalom). Like formula racing, lengthening your lines on the downwind runs provides increased control, especially in rough conditions. Short lines are a guaranteed disaster for all but the best sailors on really bumpy full reaches.

Fins:

There is a point when a fin will be too big, but I have found the smaller fins more likely to spin out in very rough conditions. I like bigger, more powerful fins because I have better control and less spin out in the really rough stuff. This may not be true for everyone, just best for me.

Sails:

More downhaul will de-power a sail, but they get more twitchy and more difficult to control if running downwind. Again - Formula sailors "bag" their sails downwind for increased control and stability. This wouldn't be true on a beam reach. I have adjustable outhauls on all of my sails from 6.6 up to 11.0, which provide the ability to better manage control as conditions and point of sail vary.

All of the above may or may not be the best thing to do, but there are so many variables that come into play - wind, water state, point of sail, sail size, skill level, board size, etc. One must experiment a little to see what works best for them.

Unregistered, I actually agree with a lot of what you say, I don't have a "gladiator" state of mind of a slalom pro and I bail out when the conditions warrant masochistic experience. I didn't say "look at the chop in the pictures", I wanted to say "look at the (totally unsuitable) conditions in which only the pros could survive (enjoy?) on slalom gear".

Well I'm not addicted to slalom boards either but waist harness (along with other tips) helps a lot in rough conditions. You don't necessarily need more power, just more control. Of course at the beginning you feel less "hoocked" but very soon it pays. [Sorry guys - it's just so fun to keep him going]